Houston in Harris County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)
Gregory School
Photographed By Brian Anderson, June 10, 2023
1. Gregory School Marker
Inscription.
Gregory School. . In 1865 as the reality of emancipation spread across Texas, many formerly enslaved African Americans left plantations and other places of bondage in search of a better life. Some established "Freedmen's Town" near Buffalo Bayou in Houston's Fourth Ward. The Freedmen's Bureau and the American Missionary Association worked with the black community to establish schools in three early churches. Adults and children were taught in the same classes by white teachers. Houston's first purpose-built school for blacks was the 1870 Gregory Institute, named for E.M. Gregory, a Freedmen's Bureau official. Black trustees Richard Allen, Rev. Elias Dibble, Peter Noble, Rev. Sandy Parker and William Waff raised money for the private school, located in a two-story brick building on Jefferson Avenue at Louisiana Street. In 1876, it became part of Houston's public school system, with black teachers., In 1877, Henry C. Hardy became the school's first black principal. The school relocated to this site in a new wooden building in 1903. Overcrowding, neglect, and fire damage led to the 1926 construction of this two-story, 20,000-square-foot brick building, renamed the Gregory School. The new facility continued educating black students to prosper within a segregated society. The Houston ISD officially closed the school in 1980, citing low enrollment and a deteriorating structure., The site has been an educational, social and cultural anchor for the community for generations. Its historical and architectural significance is reflected in the site's 1985 listing in the National Register of Historic Places and its 1995 State Antiquities Landmark designation. Rededicated in 2009 as the African American library at the Gregory School, it continues to preserve and promote the rich history and culture of Houston's black community.
In 1865 as the reality of emancipation spread across Texas, many formerly enslaved African Americans left plantations and other places of bondage in search of a better life. Some established "Freedmen's Town" near Buffalo Bayou in Houston's Fourth Ward. The Freedmen's Bureau and the American Missionary Association worked with the black community to establish schools in three early churches. Adults and children were taught in the same classes by white teachers. Houston's first purpose-built school for blacks was the 1870 Gregory Institute, named for E.M. Gregory, a Freedmen's Bureau official. Black trustees Richard Allen, Rev. Elias Dibble, Peter Noble, Rev. Sandy Parker and William Waff raised money for the private school, located in a two-story brick building on Jefferson Avenue at Louisiana Street. In 1876, it became part of Houston's public school system, with black teachers.
In 1877, Henry C. Hardy became the school's first black principal. The school relocated to this site in a new wooden building in 1903. Overcrowding, neglect, and fire damage led to the 1926 construction of this two-story, 20,000-square-foot brick building, renamed the Gregory School. The new facility continued educating black students to prosper within a segregated society. The Houston ISD officially closed the school in 1980, citing low enrollment
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and a deteriorating structure.
The site has been an educational, social and cultural anchor for the community for generations. Its historical and architectural significance is reflected in the site's 1985 listing in the National Register of Historic Places and its 1995 State Antiquities Landmark designation. Rededicated in 2009 as the African American library at the Gregory School, it continues to preserve and promote the rich history and culture of Houston's black community.
Erected 2019 by Texas Historical Commission. (Marker Number 22545.)
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Education. A significant historical year for this entry is 1870.
Location. 29° 45.239′ N, 95° 22.875′ W. Marker is in Houston, Texas, in Harris County. Marker is at the intersection of Wilson Street and Victor Street, on the right when traveling north on Wilson Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1300 Victor Street, Houston TX 77019, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Credits. This page was last revised on June 12, 2023. It was originally submitted on June 12, 2023, by Brian Anderson of Humble, Texas. This page has been viewed 121 times since then and 51 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3. submitted on June 12, 2023, by Brian Anderson of Humble, Texas.